Early science results from SOFIA

Erick T. Young; Terry L. Herter; Rolf Güsten; Edward W. Dunham; Eric E. Becklin; Pamela M. Marcum; Alfred Krabbe; B.-G. Andersson; William T. Reach; Hans Zinnecker

doi:10.1117/12.926845

17 September 2012 Early science results from SOFIA

Erick T. Young, Terry L. Herter, Rolf Güsten, Edward W. Dunham, Eric E. Becklin, Pamela M. Marcum, Alfred Krabbe, B.-G. Andersson, William T. Reach, Hans Zinnecker

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8444, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes IV; 844410 (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.926845
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2012, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is an airborne observatory with a 2.7-m telescope that is under development by NASA and the German Aerospace Center DLR. From late 2010 and through the end of 2011, SOFIA conducted a series of science demonstration flights, Early Science, using FORCAST (the Faint Object InfraRed Camera for the SOFIA Telescope), HIPO (the High-speed Imaging Photometer for Occultations), and GREAT (the German REceiver for Astronomy at Terahertz frequencies). Flying at altitudes as high as 13.7 km (45,000 ft), SOFIA operates above more than 99.8% of the water vapor in the Earth’s atmosphere, opening up most of the far-infrared and sub-millimeter parts of the spectrum. During Early Science, 30 science missions were flown with results in solar system astronomy, star formation, the interstellar medium, the Galactic Center, and extragalactic studies. Many of these investigations were conducted by the first group of SOFIA General Investigators, demonstrating the operation of SOFIA as a facility for the astronomical community. This paper presents some recent highlights from Early Science.

Citation Download Citation

Erick T. Young, Terry L. Herter, Rolf Güsten, Edward W. Dunham, Eric E. Becklin, Pamela M. Marcum, Alfred Krabbe, B.-G. Andersson, William T. Reach, and Hans Zinnecker "Early science results from SOFIA", Proc. SPIE 8444, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes IV, 844410 (17 September 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.926845

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available